Australian charities are being obstructed by red tape because of inconsistency and duplication between state and federal regulators. Shadow Assistant Treasurer, Andrew Leigh, called for charity regulation to be standardised between state and federal governments: "There is real momentum among state governments and stakeholders to reform and streamline regulations for Australia's charities and not-for-profit organisations [...]

The government of Western Australia has opted to conditionally approve Cameco’s uranium mining project in Yeelirrie despite opposition from the Environment Protection Authority (EPA). The EPA previously declined to support the project on the grounds that it might compromise the habitat of stygofauna, also known as ‘microscopic desert prawns’, which are creatures 0.3mm in length [...]

On her very first day in office, newly-appointed Premier of NSW, Gladys Berejiklian, has spoken in favour of cutting red tape. Ms. Berejiklian stated: “There is opportunity for us to reduce that waste and duplication and move forward.” “I have some strong ideas about what I would like to see happen.” The IPA welcomes the [...]

The Property Council of Australia (PCA) has voiced its support for the NSW state government’s plan to amend the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (EPA Act) to streamline the approval process for new housing projects, but has called for the reforms to go further in order to increase supply and reduce prices. PCA NSW [...]

The Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) has once again spoken out against proposed state government reforms which would increase red tape, following on from their criticism last October. VFF President David Jochinke stated: “We have argued for a simplified process for managing native vegetation across the state, providing a model that farmers can understand and work towards”. [...]

Plans to develop a prominent farm in the Kimberley region of Western Australia have been significantly delayed because of red tape. In 2014, the Western Australian Government selected Matt and Melanie Gray to develop a portion of land in the Ord Valley, with the couple already owning a farm adjacent to the area. Despite being [...]

Self-storage businessman, Sam Kennard, has spoken out against intrusive and unnecessary regulation. Mr. Kennard’s business was publicly listed by the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) after it failed to submit a “gender equality indicators” report. Defending the reputation of his business, Mr. Kennard stated: “My company does not discriminate for race, age, sex or religion,”. [...]

Red tape reform could be on the agenda in the US following the election of Donald Trump. Trump made red tape reduction a key part of his economic plan during the campaign, repeatedly speaking of the damage over-regulation was doing to American businesses. Trump made a number of statements throughout the election, including: “The government [...]

The state government of Western Australia is streamlining agricultural regulation, reducing burdensome requirements on growers. Areas of reform include aerial spraying, with the government simplifying the licensing process and eliminating inefficient administrative provisions. Agriculture and Food Minister, Mark Lewis, stated: “The proposal to change from a licencing system to one that recognises spraying certifications and [...]

A new Sensis survey has found that business confidence in the ACT has sharply declined, with one in five businesses reporting being worried about the future. In addition to falling sales, red tape was identified as a key contributor to the increased uncertainty. Despite this, the survey found that the ACT Barr Government is perceived [...]